Vapor-burner.



C. E. WIRTH.

VAPOR BURNER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25, 1909.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910. l

ANDREW B GRAN/wl co., PHofo-mnoGw/PHERS wASmNmon, v f;v

srnfilnsrlarnnr ernten.

CHARLES E. WIRTH, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOB. TO THE PLUME @c ATWOOD MFG. CO., 0F WATERBURY, NECTICUT.

CONNECTICUT, A CGRPORATION OF CON- VAPOR-BURNER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented Feb. 252:,y 1910.

Application led March 25,1909. Serial No. 485,597.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLns E. YVIRTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVaterbury, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented an Improvement in Vapor-Burners, of which the following is a specification.

h/Iy invention relates to an improvement in burners provided with an incandescent mantle and adapted to employ vapor derived from alcohol or a light hydro-carbon which in burning causes the mantle to become incandescent. These burners are adapted for use with a chandelier or portable table lamp.

The essential features of my invention. comprise a specially formed valve device and support therefor and chambers associated therewith for receiving and controlling the flow of the vapor to the top of the burner, devices for starting the vaporization and means for supplying to said devices a predetermined quantity of fluid to be vaporized, all of which is hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawing, Figure l is a vertical central section illustrating a font for iiuid and the burner devices of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a vertical section and partial elevation of one side of the burner at right angles to the section Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan on the dotted line 00, of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a vertical section and elevation on the dotted line y, y, of Fig. 3, looking toward the left hand. Fig. 5 is an inverted sectional plan at the dotted line e, a, of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the parts hereinafter described, as stamped out from sheet metal.

a represents the font adapted to hold a fluid to be vaporized. This font may be of any desired size or configuration and be adapted for support upon a chandelier, or in connection with a portable table stand.

al represents the threaded neck ofthe font a, and b a burner base adapted to be connected with the font at the threaded neck al with its threaded base b2.

b1 represents the foraminous part of the burner base through'which air is admitted to pass up to the burner. y

c represents a tubular member or column at the center of the burner base and secured thereto, and the lower portion of this tubular member c below the threaded base b2 of the burner is made slightly flaring at c2 so as to receive and have secured to it the wick i (Z which is adapted to extend down into the font a and into the liquid therein. This wick is of usual construction. The tubular member c has a closed top c1 and from this `closed top downward for an appreciable distance said tubular member is provided with a semi-circular recess c3 which is practically formed by bending`in the tubular member at one side. The sections Figs. 3 and show this form quite plainly.

c represents a plate of sheet metal (see particularly Fig. 6) which is forked and is adapted to tit at opposite sides of the convex wall forming the recess, with the lower portion thereof bent forward toward the circular wall of the-tubular member and secured thereto by solder or by the rivet shown in Fig. 1, or by both, and when so connected there are formed as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, chambers at opposite sides of the convex wall of this recess and between the same and the said plate e. In Fig. a this plate eI is shown quite plainly; the Lipper edges thereof coming at opposite sides of the recess and said plate being in section showing the bottom of the vapor chamber.'

j represents the burner top also of foraminous construction and adapted to t within and rest upon the upper edge of the burner base b; the chimney holder f1 being formed at the upper end of the burner top f; certain portions of the foraminous construction of the burner top at the base of the chimney holder being turned inward as atY f2 to support the chimney as is also shown in Fig. l.

g represents a tubular head of cylindrical form adapted to surround the upper' end of the tubular member c and also to close in the major portion of the semi-circular recess c3. The upper end of this head g has bracketed portions g1 extending toward the axial center of the burner, and to the central portion of this bracket structure is connected the mantle support or standard g2 of any desired height and preferably forked at its upper end so as to engage the supporting part of the incandescent mantle and hold the same in a proper position.

71. is a perforated cap passing down over the mantle support or standard g2 and over the upper end of the tubular head g.

I provide an annulus-trough i which surrounds and issecured to the tubular member c at about the central portion of` the burner top f. This trough is concentric both with the tubular member 0 and the burner top f and is secured to the tubular member c and in part acts as a support. for the tubular head g, its bracket, the mantle standard and the mantle as well as the perforated cap 7i. This annulus-trough is preferably made with a retaining edge which restricts its open area and it is adapted to receive some fibrous substance for holding a predetermined quantity of the fluid contained in the reservoir.

I provide at one side of the burner base a rod 2 with a linger lever 3 at the upper end thereofI passing out through the burner base, and this rod 2 is provided with a tubular guide 4 secured to the threaded base b2 of the burner and which tubular guide advantageously passes down int'o the font. At the lower end of this rod 2 is a piston 5 in a cylinder 6 with a spring 7 between the bottom of the cylinder and the under side of the piston 5 and serves to hold up the piston, the rod and the finger lever. There is an opening in the wall of the cylinder 6 which in the normal position of the piston 5 opens up the cylinder below the piston so that the same may be filled with fluid. A small pipe 8 opens into the cylinder 6 at the lower end and passes up therefrom through the burner base and into the bottom of the annulustrough z' for the purpose of supplying the same with a small quantity of the fluid that there is in the reservoir and as a support for the cylinder G in the reservoir.

The valve is composed of a tubular body of metal 7c in part interiorly threaded. It is secured in the semi-circular recess c3 of the central tubular member c and a screw-stein Z passes through this tubular body and also through the upper wall portion of the burner base; the lower portion of the burner top being notched where the same passes down within the upper portion of the burner base over the said screw-stem Z and on the outer end of the screw-stem is a knurled disk Z1 or finger-wheel by means of which the screw-stem Z is rotated. The forward end of the screw-stem Z is conical and adja cent thereto there is an end-hole provided in the tubular body la, and a nozzle 10 is secured in the upper portion of the tubular body 7c at the upper portion of an ,opening formed vertically in the tubular body and communicating with the interior thereof; the aperture in the nozzle being set vertically and of flaring form at the lower part. From 'Figs l and 3 the position of this nozzle l0 will be appreciated for the same comes at about the centerl of the recess 03, or between the wall of the recess and the outer wall formed by` the tubular head g. From this construction it will be apparent that an entrance for air is provided through the foraminous portions of the burner base Z and burner top f benea-th the lower edge of the annulus-trough z' and upward within the same and within the tubular head g at the recess c3 and so on up to the perforated cap L and this within the area of a mantle at itsvlower end surrounding this cap.

In the operation of the device of my invention and to start the same, the fingerlever 3, rod 2 and piston 5 are pushed downward with a quick movement. The piston 5 thus forces the contents of the cylinder 6 up the pipe S and into the annulus-trough z' moistening the fibrous substance in said trough. A match is then applied to light this fluid and the samev burning with an annular' flame around the tubular head g, heats the center of the burner and the tubular member or column c so as to start the vaporization of the fluid in the reservoir and the 'circulation of the said vapor. The predetermined quantity of fluid thus delivered into this trough is suliicient to burn a few moments and to start the action of the vapor, and this Haine dies out as soon as the Vapor is burning. It is sufiicient however, to heat the metal parts to start the vaporization of the fluid in the font, which heat and vaporization are thereafter maintained by the heat imparted to the metal part-s by the ineandescence of the mantle.

The vapor within the tubular member c, as shown by the arrows in Figs. l, t and 5, passes over the upper edges of the plate e and down through the chambers between the same and the wall of the bent-in portion forming the recess, and at the lower portion of these chambers the vapor passes into the hole 9 in the valve-body and through the body and the nozzle l0 emerging into the recess 03 and passing up between the same and the tubular head g, mixes with the entering' air and the mixture thus formed passes through the bracket structure g1 and perforated cap 7i outl within the prescribed limits of the mantle where the same burns with an intense heat which causes the incandescence of the mantle, and this vaporization and the movement of the vapor continue so long as the lamp is lighted and its heat is imparted to the metal parts. The quantity of vapor permitted to pass through the valve is regulated by the conical en d of the screw-stein Z which as itnears the hole 9 reduces the available aperture and as it is removed from the aperture increases the available aperture, and whenever this screwstem Z is at its conical end brought with force against the end ofthe tubular body at the hole 9, the valve is entirely closed and the passage' of vapor prevented, and in this event the supply of vapor being' cut off, the lamp goes out, the vapor cools and when it is desired tovstart the lamp again it is only necessary to repeat these operations,-i.irst supplying the small quantity of fluid to the annulus-trough and lighting the same. The dame from the fluid thus started is not only sufficient to heat the metal parts and start the vapor flowing through the burner, but to ignite the vapor within the mantle at once that sutlicicnt vapor emerges through the cap z. 'I he operations described are thusI successively repeated.

I have shown in Fig. 1 and may prefer to emplo-y a wick (Z1 extending up to the desired height within the tubular member c as the same increases the available wick surface for evaporation and brings the same higher up toward the heat region of the tubular member. rl`his wick (Z1 may be employed alone or with the wick (Z. This wick (Z1 may be connected for support in any desired manner and when employed with the wiel; (Y will be connected thereto for support` I claim as my invention :F

l. In a vapor burner, a central tubular column member open at its lower end and secured thereat to the burner and closed at its upper end and along one side pressed inward to the top thereof to form an exterior semi-circular recess, and a mixing chamber receiving the vapor and air and in which they commingle and passl upward to be consumed. Y

2. In a vapor burner, a central tubular column member open at its lower end and secured thereat to the burner and closed atits upper end and along` one side pressed inward to the top thereof to form an exterior semi-circular recess,v a mixing chamber receiving the vapor and air and in which they commingle and pass upward to be consumed, an annulus-trough surrounding said tubular member and secured thereto and a filling material therein to receive the burning fluid and effect the initial lighting of the burner.

3. In a vapor burner, a central tubular column member open at its lower end and secured thereat to the burner and closed at its upper end and along one side pressed inward to the top thereof to form an exterior semicircular recess and a mixing chamber receiving the vapor and air and in which they commingle and pass upward to be consumed, and' a regulatable valve device secured to the column member at the lower part of the recess providing for the discharge of the vapor into the recess.

4. In a vapor burner, a. central tubular column member open at its lower end and secured thereat to the burner and closed at its upper end and along one side pressed inward to form a semi-circular recess, a valve secured to said tubular member near the lower portion of said recess and an internal plate providing chambers for the tortuous passage of the vapor in its exit from within the column to the' valve.

5. In a vapor burner, a central tubular column member open at its lower end and l secured thereat to the burner and closed at l its upper end and along one side pressed. in-

ward to form a semi-circular recess, a valve secured to said tubular member near the lower portion of said recess and an internal plate providing chambers for the tortuous `passage. of the vapor in its exit from within the column to the valve, a tubular head and perforated cap surrounding the upper end of said tubular member and a mantle support connected thereto whereby between said tubular head and the recess in said tubular member there is formed a mixing chamber for the vapor and air before its exit through the perforated cap to the mantle.

6. The combination with the foraminons burner structure, of a central tubular column member secured near its lower end to the burner and said tubular member provided with a longitudinal recess of semi-circular cross section at one side formed by bending` in the said tubular member, a plate of forked construction secured to the inner surface of said tubular member at the lower portion of said recess so as to close off the lower end o-f the recess and to form inner chambers between the surface of the plate and the tubular member, a valve body secured to the said tubular member at about the lower end of the recess and adjacent to the union of thetubular member and said plate and said valve body being provided with inlet and exit openings, a screw stem movable through said valve body for closing the entrance aperture, and a nozzle pointing upward along the line of said recess forming the exit aperture.

7. The combination with the foraminous burner structure, of a central tubular column member secured near its lower end to the burner and said tubular member provided with a longitudinal recess of semi-circular cross section at one side formed by bending in the said tubular member, a plate of forked construction secured to the inner surface of said tubular member at the lower portion of said recess so as to close off the lower end of the 1ecess and to form inner chambers between the surface of the plate and the tubular member, a valve body secured to the said tubular member at about the lower end 0f the recess and adjacent to the union of the column and said plate, and said valve body being provided with inlet and exity openings, a screw stem movable through said valve body for closing the entrance aperture, and a nozzle pointing upward along the line of said recess forming the exit aperture, and a tubular head surrounding the said tubular member and at its lower end extending toward the valve so as to provide an internal mixing chamber for the air and escaping vapor from the valve whereby a mixture of the air and vapor is formed and rises to be burned within the mantle.

8. The combination with the rforaminous burner structure, of a central tubular column member secured near its lower end to the burner and said tubular member provided with a longitudinal recess of semicircular cross section at one side formed by bending in the said tubular member, and the upper end of said tubular member closed, a valve body secured to said tubular member at the lower end of said recess and means providing for the passage of vapor therethrough from within the tubular member and its escape into said recess, a tubular head and perforated cap surrounding the upper end of said tubular member, supported thereby and inclosing said recess and thereby forming a mixing chamber and a mantle support rising above and connected to said tubular head.

9. In a vapor burner, a central tubular column member open at its lower end and secured thereat to the burner and closed at its upper end and along one side pressed inward to form a semi-circular recess, a valve secured to said tubular member near the lower portion of said recess, a tubular head and perforated cap surrounding the upper end of said tubular member and a mantle support connected thereto whereby between said tubular head and the recess in said tubular member there is formed a mixing chamber for the vapor and air before its eXit through the perforated cap to the mantle.

Signed by me this 18th day of March 1909.

CHAS. E. VIRTH.

7itnesses B. L. NETTLETON, A. J. STORZ. 

